Bearing assembly for railway car axle journals



June 14, 1955 J. R. JACKSON 2,710,779

BEARING ASSEMBLY F'OR RAILWAY CAR AXLE JOURNALS Filed Nov. 26, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4l 416 5E' J0 1 4 6 W 36 f5 331g gg @ya '110 ummm lfmmum ga* IN VEN TOR.

. eigz'fclswg June 14, 1955 J. R. JAcKsoN 2,710,779

BEARING ASSEMBLY FOR RAILWAY CAR AXLE JOURIALS Filed Nov. 26. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A 7 TOR/VEYS nited States Patent if lice 2,710,779 Patented June 14, 1955 BEARING ASSEMBLY FOR RAILWAY CAR AXLE JOURNALS .lohn R. `ackson, Williamsburg, Va.

Application November 26, 1954, Serial No. 471,182

3 Claims. (Cl. 30S-86) This invention relates generally to railway car trucks and more particularly to the bearing assembly for the railway car axle journals.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a bearing assembly for railway car axle journals embodying certain improved construction over applicants prior United States Letters Patent No. 2,687,927.

The general objects and advantages are the same as those set forth in connection with the above-identified prior patent, and in addition thereto, the present invention provides for increased lateral thrust on the inner side of the axle journal end collar and in which the bearing assembly can be readily applied to the axle journal in a preassembly operation, that is, prior to the entry of the journal through the opening in the back of the standard A. A. R. journal box and positioning of the assembly unit on the journal for operating relationship thereto within the box.

Another object of this invention is to provide for locking the bearing assembly in operating position and for taking axle and thrust forces in an inward direction A still further object of this invention is to provide a sleeve-type bearing assembly for railway car axle journals which will obviate the freezing of the bearing on the journal due to more rapid cooling of the bearing than the journal when the railway car is stationary for a relatively short period of time.

Another and still further object of this invention is to provide a bearing assembly for railway car axle journals which will be employed with standard railway car journal boxes and requires only a slight modification of the present standard forged solid bearing axles.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description, forming the specification, and taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through a journal box and bearing assembly embodying the present invention, showing in side elevation an axle journal in the bearing assembly;

Figure 2 is a transverse cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a transverse cross sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure l and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a transverse cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 4 4 of Figure l and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the bearing unit or assembly;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the bearing assembly;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the bottom bearing segment;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the top bearing segment; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary, enlarged, sectional view of the connection between the bearing housing and bearing segments.

With continued reference to the drawings, there is shown a journal box, generally indicated at 10, of standard construction secured to one end of one of the side bars of a railway car truck in a manner well known to the art, a wheel carrying axle 12 having terminal journals of cylindrical shape and reduced diameter, as indicated at 14, the journal being provided at its outer end with an annular collar or flange 16 of a greater diameter than the diameter of the journal and a circumferential thrust groove in the journal adjacent the collar 16 so as to join the collar to the journal. The circumferential groove, indicated at 18, is shown as being arcuate in cross section and of the double fillet type, lbut this shape is merely by way of illustration, the groove may assume other cross sectional shapes to accomplish the purpose intended, as will presently appear.

A bearing assembly, generally indicated at 20, completely surrounds the journal 12 and end collar 16 and a mounting wedge key, generally indicated at 22, disposed between the bearing assembly and the inner surface of the top wall 24 of the journal box.

The journal box 10 has an open outer end 26 and a flange 28 at its inner end and surrounding the end of the axle adjacent the journal 14. The iiange 17 is provided with an annular groove cavity 30 opening to the adjacent surface of the axle. The axle 12 is provided wit`n a iillet 32 at the adjoining ends of the axle and the journal.

In the axle bearing journal assemblies now in use and generally referred to as the standard bearing assemblies of the Association of American Railroads, it has been long recognized that its operation is unsatisfactory in many ways, and particularly in that it is subject to rapid wear, poor lubrication, over-heating and waste grabbing occassioned by the movement of the journal relative to the associated top bearing or brass when the associated wheels are subjected to braking action, or the car is subjected to shock.

By providing a bearing assembly-receiving and completely enclosing the journal, as in the present invention, and insuring adequate lubrication, the danger of rapid wear and over-heating of the bearing is eliminated, the presence of waste to hold the lubricating oil in the journal box is eliminated so that waste cannot be drawn between the bearing surfaces of the journal and the brass, and the necessity for a movable cover in the outer end of the journal box is omitted.

in the bearing assembly of the present invention, the wedge key 22 is modified to a liat condition, one liat surface of which contacts the at inner surface of the top wall 2li of the journal box and the other iiat surface of which is provided intermediate its length with a transversely extending recess 34. A journal box 10 is provided on the inner surfaces of its side walls, at respectively opposite sides of the journal 14, with ribs 36 and 3S disposed substantially perpendicularly to the flat top wall 24 of the journal box, and the wedge key is provided intermediate its length with lugs 4@ and 42 projecting one from each side thereot` and engaging sides of the ribs 36 and 3S and nearest the outer or open side of the journal box to restrain the wedge key against movement inwardly of the journal box. At its outer end the wedge key is provided with a transverse i'iange formation t4 joined to the main body of the wedge key by a portion 46 of reduced thickness.` The outer edge of the ilange formation 26 is engageable with the stop i3 depending from the inner surface of the top wall of the box at the outer end of the box to restrain the wedge key against movement outwardly of the journal box. The over-all length of the wedge key 22 is made less than the distance between the stops 36, 33 and i8 on the journal box 10 to provide clearance for installation and to provide a 3 limited, friction-resistant longitudinal movement of the wedge key relative to the journal box top wall 24.

It will be noted that the opening in the rear end of the journal box, as indicated at 50, through the flange 28 is materially larger than the associated axle and is of sutiicient size for the passage of the axle journal with the bearing assembly thereon through this end of the journal box. Also, suilicient space is provided between the bearing assembly and the bottom wall 2S of the journal box, so that the journal box can be raised relative to the associated journal for the installation of the wedge key 22 between the top of the bearing assembly and the top wall 24 of the journal box.

The bearing assembly 20 comprises a bearing housing of one-piece, or a unitary, construction having a solid end wall 52 at one end thereof, the other end being open to the hollow interior, journal receiving bore 54. The bearing housing 51 has a at top surface bearing against the flat bottom surface of the wedge key 22 and provided intermediate its length with the transversely extending f rib or boss 56 received in the transversely extending recess 21 of the Wedge key and having a width less than the width of the recess to limit movement of the bearing housing relative to the wedge key in a direction along the rotational axis of the journal. The limited relative movement provided for being resisted by friction between the top surface of the bearing housing and the bottom surface of the wedge key 22.

At its end adjacent the collar 16, the bearing housing 51 is provided an internally screw threaded, hollow boss 58 for receiving a grease fitting 60 of well-known construction. A grease or lubricant channel 62 leads from the inner end of the interior of the boss 36 to the reservoir chamber 64, so that the lubricant reservoir chamber 64 can be maintained filled with lubricant through the grease fitting 60. The rib or boss 56 is provided with an air vent or breather opening transversely therethrough opening into the lubricant reservoir chamber 64 at one end and opening to the upper surface of the rib or boss at its other end.

The bearing assembly includes a pair of substantially semicylindrical bearing segments 66 and 68 constituting a split sleeve bearing with the segment 66 being the top portion of the split sleeve bearing and the segment 68 being the lower portion thereof. The segments are disposed within and carried by the bearing housing 51 and have their inner surfaces circumferentially contacting the journal 12 to provide bearing surfaces therefor. As clearly shown in Figure 2, the adjacent longitudinal edges of the upper and lower segments are slightly spaced so as to allow for the differential in the shrinkage between the bearing sleeve and the journalto prevent the freezing of the bearing sleeve on the journal due to more rapid cooling of the bearing sleeve in the case where the railway car has stood for a relatively short period after having been operated for some considerable length of time so as to cause these parts to become heated.

Each of the segments 66 and 68 have formed thereon, at one end thereof, a thrust bearing 70 and 72 respectively disposed in the thrust groove 18 with clearance in respect to the thrust surface defined by the groove, as clearly shown in Figure l, so as to provide a lateral and radial thrust area adjacent the collar 16.

The bearing housing 51 has an upstanding, laterally projecting, peripheral flange 74 formed thereon at the open end thereof, that is the end remote from the solid end wall 52 and adjacent the llet end 32 of the journal 14, while the bearing segments 66 and 68 of the split bearing collar are each provided with mating, laterally extending flanges 76 and 78 peripherally about the ends thereof remote from the ends on which the thrust bearings 70 and 72 are formed.

The flanges 76 and 78 are so disposed as to form a substantially continuous peripheral flange about the split bearing collar and disposed against the outer surface of 4 the flange 74, as clearly shown in Figure 9, so as to be in abutting relation thereto with the height of the flanges 76, 78 and 74 being such as to terminate along a common circumference.

A split lock ring, generally indicated at 80, of generally inverted U-shape has its sections 82 and 84 fitting over the abutting flanges 74 and 76, '78 in the manner clearly shown in Figure 9. A plurality of bolts 86 may be employed in spaced circumferential relation to pass through suitably aligned and registering openings in the outer leg of the lock ring sections 82 and 84 and the flanges 76, 78 with the externally threaded shank portion of the bolt being received in a suitably internally threaded opening in the flanges 74. Thus, the bearing segments 66 and 68 of the split bearing sleeve may be locked to the bearing housing 5l.

An annular recess 88 may be provided in the outer leg of the lock ring for the purpose of receiving therein one end of a seal member 90 so that this end of the seal member is disposed between the lock ring 80 and the adjacent outer face of the respective flanges 76 and 78 with the other end thereof extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom so as to contact the outer surface of the journal 14 adjacent the llet 32. The seal 90 may be employed or may be omitted from the bearing assembly, at the option of the user.

The lubricant chamber 64 has a pair of side lubricant chambers 92 and 94 disposed to opposite sides thereof and in communication therewith so that the entire lubricant reservoir chamber is of substantially semicylindrical shape and provided with an H-shaped recess therein delined by the chambers 64, 92 and 94.

A shallow groove 96 extending circumferentially of the outer surface of the upper bearing segment 66 intermediate the length of the segment and within the circumferentially extending portion 64 of the H-shaped reservoir chamber formed in the upper portion of the housing S1. The groove 96 opens at its ends to the interior of the bearing segment at the side edges of the segment through notches or openings 98 and 100, so that lubricant, such as soft grease, can ow from the chamber around the end edges of the segment to the bearing surface of the journal 14 to lubricate this portion of the bearing. The lower bearing segment 68 is provided in its circumferential portion between the longitudinal end edges thereof with a generally rectangular opening 102 therethrough with laterally circumferential lubricant feed channels 104 and 106 of reduced width extending to the openings 98 and 100 respectively, at the opposite ends of the shallow groove 96, so that the soft grease lubricant can flow into and fill the recess dened between the adjacent surfaces of the journal 14 and the inner surface of the bearing housing 51 within the confines of the opening 102. The journal will pick up the lubricant from the recess so formed and carried around the internal bearing surface of the split bearing defined by the bearing segments 66 and 68, so that the entire surface of the bearing will be supplied with an adequate quantity of soft grease lubricant at all times.

As particularly shown in Figure 1, the lower bearing segment 68 is provided with longitudinally extending feed channels 108 and 110 in communication at one end with the recess defined by the opening 102 and opening to the opposite end surfaces of the lower bearing segment. The feed channel 108 is disposed along the journal 14 and will receive the lubricant therein from the recess 102 whereby the journal will be adequately lubricated along this portion at all times. The circumferential groove 112 is provided in the upper and lower bearing segments 66 and 68 adjacent the end flanges 76 and 78 respectively and is in communication with the feed channel 108 so as to have the soft grease lubricant delivered thereinto through the feed channel 108.

The feed channel 110 opening to the thrust bearing end of the lower bearing segment will provide lubricant for the thrust bearing '72 as it rides in the groove 13, and also the lubricant will flow between the peripheral edge of the end collar or flange 16 and the adjacent inner surface of the lowermost portion 49 of the cylindrical section of the housing 51 extending from opposite sides thereof so that the lubricant will How into an end lubricant reservoir r11- defined between the outer face of the end collar or flange 16 and the adjacent inner face of the end wall S2 of the housing 51. The grease or lubricant may then flow between the space provided between the peripheral edge of the ange or collar lr6 and the adjacent inner` surface of the top wall 53. The lubricant owing through the space between the perimeter of the collar 16 and the adjacent inner surface of the top wall 53 of the casing S1 will be introduced into the groove 18 so as to provide constant lubrication for the thrust bearing 70 riding in the groove.

Thus, it will be seen that, if so desired, a seal, similar to the seal 96, may be employed in connection with the lock ring Si) so as to prevent or minimize the leakage of lubricant from the bearing assembly at this point.

A lubricant connecting passage 116 is provided in the top wall 53 of the bearing housing 51 so as to connect the lubricant passage 62 with the auxiliary lubricant reservoir 114 to thereby complete the lubrication arrangement for the bearing assembly 2).

With this lubrication arrangement, lubricant is supplied to the bearing assembly through the grease fitting 6i), some of the lubricant will pass through the channel or passage 116 and ll the auxiliary lubrication reservoir 114 for the journal collar or ange 16 and the thrust bearing '70, While the remainder of the lubricant Will be forced into the lubricant chamber defined by the central chamber 64 and the side chambers 92 and 94 connected thereto.

When the journal is rotating or moving laterally in the bearing assembly, the collar or flange formation 16 wiil force the lubricant in the auxiliary reservoir 114; upward through the channel 116 and thence through the passage 62 and force the lubricant in the main lubricant chamber or reservoir 64, 92, 94, and through the other recesses and feed channels to provide a complete circulation of lubricant through the bearing assembly whenever the journal is rotating in the bearing assembly and insures an adequate supply of lubricant to all wearing surfaces of the assembly. This, it will be observed, utilizes the lateral thrust of the journal to insure adequate lubrication, rather than provide a source of hinderance for the lubricant reaching the required locations, as in the presently employed journal bearings with the oil soaked Waste lubrication feeding means.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that there has been provided in combination with a railway car axle journal which has an annular external end collar 16 on its outer end and a thrust bearing groove 1S formed therein adjacent the collar, a bearing assembly 2d completely enclosing the journal 14 and comprising a bearing Vhousing 51 of one-piece or integral construction, a split bearing carried by and disposed within the housing and having mating upper and lower bearing segments 66 and 68 to provide bearings for the bearing surfaces of the journal, a thrust bearing 70 and 72 formed on each of the bearing segments and riding in the thrust bearing groove 18 with the thrust bearings being spaced from the sides of the groove to take a lateral thrust of the journal, the housing 51 and bearing segments 66 and 68 having an interconnected lubrication circulation system formed therein to provide constant lubrication to the journal 14. A locking means, in the form of a locking ring Si) secures the bearing segments 66 and 68 to the housing at the ends of the segments remote from the ends at which the thrust bearings are integrally formed therewith. The split bearing segments are substantially semicylindrical in form and surround the journal in slightly spaced relation along adjacent longitudinal edges. The

various lubrication reservoirs and chambers andthe interconnecting passages and channels in the housing 51 and upper and lower bearing segments 66 and 68 define the lubrication circulation system in which the auxiliary lubrication reservoir 114 defined between the outer face of the collar 16 and the solid end wall 52 of the housing S1 Will have the lubricant contained therein acted upon by the lateral thrust movement of the journal 14 so as to be responsive thereto and cause a circulatory movement of the lubricant through the lubrication circulation system. Thus, a constant lubrication of the journal is effected at all times during the operation of the railway car.

While there is shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the structure is susceptible to change and modification within the practicability of the invention and therefore should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. in combination with a railway car axle journal having an annular external end collar on its outer end and a thrust bearing groove formed therein adjacent said collar, a bearing assembly completely enclosing said journal comprising a bearing housing, a split bearing carried by and disposed within said housing having mating bearing segments to provide bearings for the bearing surfaces of said journal, a thrust bearing formed on each of said segments and rising in said thrust bearing groove in spaced relation to the sides of said groove to take lateral thrusts of said journal, said housing and bearing segments having an interconnected lubrication circulation system formedtherein to provide lubrication to said journal, said thrust bearings being integrally formed with said segment at one end of said segments, and a locking means securing said bearing segments to said housing at the ends of segments remote from said thrust bearings, said split bearing segments being substantially semicylindrical upper and lower segments surrounding said journal in slightly spaced relation along adjacent longitudinal edges, said lubrication circulation system including a lubrication reservoir chamber formed in said housing and a lubricant passage in said housing opening to one end of the housing and in communication at its other end with said chamber whereby a lubricant can be introduced to said chamber, said upper bearing segment having a circumferential recess therein opening to said chamber and opening to said journal to convey lubricant from said chamber to the bearing surface of said journal, said lower bearing segment having an opening therethrough and lateral lubricant feed channels connecting the opening with said circumferential recess to provide lubricant to the journal bearing surface which said lower segment surrounds.

2. In combination with a railway car axle journal having an annular external end collar on its outer end and a thrust bearing groove formed therein adjacent said collar, a bearing assembly completely enclosing said journal comprising a bearing housing, a split bearing carried by and disposed within said housing having mating bearing segments to provide bearings for the bearing surfaces of said journal, a thrust bearing formed on each of said segments and rising in said thrust bearing groove in spaced relation to the sides of said groove to take lateral thrusts of said journal, said housing and bearing segments having an interconnected lubrication circulation system formed therein to provide lubrication to said journal, said thrust bearings being integrally formed with said segment at one end of said segments, and a locking means securing said bearing segments to said housing at the ends of the segments remote from said thrust bearings, said split bearing segments being substantially semicylindrical upper and lower segments surrounding said journal in slightly spaced relation along adjacent longitudinal edges, said lubrication circulation system including a lubrication reservoir chamber formed in said housing and a lubricant passage in said housing opening to one end of the housing and in communication at its other end with said chamber whereby a lubricant can be introduced to said chamber, said upper bearing segment having a circumferential recess therein opening to said chamber and opening to said journal to convey lubricant from said chamber to the bearing surface of said journal, said lower bearing segment having an opening therethrough and lateral lubricant feed channels connecting the opening with said circumferential recess to provide lubricant to the journal bearing surface which said lower segment surrounds, said housing being of one-piece construction having a solid end wall in spaced relation to said end collar to define therebetween an auxiliary lubricant reservoir which provides lubrication for the bearing surfaces defined by said thrust bearing groove.

3. In combination with a railway car axle journal having an annular external end collar on its outer end and a thrust bearing groove formed therein adjacent said collar,

a bearing assembly completely enclosing said journal comprising a bearing housing, a split bearing carried by and disposed within said housing having mating bearing segments to provide bearings for the bearng surfaces of said journal, a thrust bearing formed on each of said segments and rising in said thrust bearing groove in spaced relation to the sides of said groove to take lateral thrusts of said journal, said housing and bearing segments having an interconnected lubrication circulation system formed therein to provide lubrication to said journal, said thrust bearings being integrally formed with said segment at one end of said segments, and a locking means securing said bearing segments to said housing at the ends of the segments remote from said thrust bearings, said split bearing segments surrounding said journal in slightly spaced relation along adjacent longitudinal edges, said lubrication circulation system including a lubrication reservoir chamber formed in said housing and a lubricant passage in said housing opening to one end of the housing and in communication at its other end with said chamber whereby a lubricant can be introduced to said chamber, said upper bearing segment having a circumferential recess therein opening to said chamber and opening to said journal to convey lubricant from said chamber to the bearing surface of said journal, said lower bearing segment having an opening therethrough and lateral lubri cant feed channels connecting the opening with said circumferential recess to provide lubricant to the journal bearing surface which said lower segment surrounds, said housing being of one-piece construction having a solid end wall in spaced relation to said end collar to define therebetween an auxiliary lubricant reservoir which provides lubrication for the bearing surfaces defined by said thrust bearing groove, said lower bearing segment having a longitudinal lubricant feed channel therein connecting said opening in the lower bearing segment with said auxiliary reservoir, and said housing having a channel therein connecting the auxiliary reservoir with said lubricant passage in the housing to complete the interconnected lubrication circulation system which is responsive to lateral thrust movement of said collar against the lubricant in said auxiliary reservoir.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,699,007 Melcher Jan. l5, 1929 2,000,534 Oelkers May 7, 1935 2,687,927 Jackson Aug. 31, 1954 

